DR BARNARDO'S BOYS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 128, 28 June 1909, Page 3

DR BARNARDO'S BOYS.

CANVASSING THE COLONIES. , Eev. W. J. Mayers, for over twenty years associated with this ehild-rescut work of Sr. Baraardo's Homes, has arrived in New Plymouth with a party r of the boys from the homes, and yesterday the rev. gentleman preached at St. Andrew's and the Whiteley Memorial Church, morning and evening respectively. lie "after-church" rally in the Theatre Royal was a great gathering, i large numbers being compelled to stand. ' Owing to the sudden, but, fortunately,

qot serious, indisposition of the Rev. F. G. Evans, Mr. W. H. Skinner presided. In introducing the speaker, Mr. Skinner said the Rev. Mayers was not a stranger to New Plymouth, he having cpoken in that very hall some seventeen years ago. The huge gathering sang "All hail the power of Jesus' name," to the ac- „ companiment of the "Barnardo Boys'" ■■ handbells, and, prior to the commencement of the address proper, five of the lads played "The Children's Home." In opening, the Rev. Mayers read from (■ the Holy Scriptures in support of his statement that this rescue work amongst . the child-life of the great metropolis was Christ-like and Christian work. Dr. ■ Barnardo had been called " The Father ' of No-body's Children," and the name , was so apt and appropriate that it had stuck to him. He was the father of those children whom nobody loved, nobody cherished, nobody wanted, and nobody cared for. He loved them, and made men and women of tliem in the true sense of the word, starting them out in the world with a chance of success.. It could never be said that Christianity was dead so long as the ■world had grand workers like this. Though Dr. Barnardo was dead, his spirit still lived and animated the eon- . duct of the network of institutions Which he had established in conniption : with his work. The life af lir. Barnardo was a powerful illustration of

. what one man could do, and of what a -y young man could <lo, wlira Ira was in earnest. He wis only anout twenty years of age when lie took up his later - of love, and he went on in it for foriy years, until God said "It is enough.' When Dr. Barnardo started there was no one doing child-rescue work, although the pauper children were being helped in different ways. So one was acting the part of the good shepherd, clinging to the rock with one hand and reaching : down the precipice for the fallen lambs. He didn't build the shelter and publish newspaper invitations for the children. He went out after them and brought them into a changed atmosphere of cleanliness, brightness, health and morality. The founder of these Homes was himself a family man, and it really peemed that God used to discipline Mm »wn family troubles tor the wider eirclS Mtyond, He; lost three of his children, including the eldest, a bonny lad of 13V4 years. The speaker narrated an incident which served to show the character of the man. It was whilst he was following the dead body of his boy to the cemetery he saw a pauper child's funeral approaching. The coffin of his •own child was covered with lovely floral tributes of sorrow and sympathy; the other little coffin was bare, flowerless, «nd there were but one or two mourniers in their rusty black. Without ostentation, Dr. Barnardo removed two or three of the beautiful wreaths and placed them on the little pauper child's coffin. It was a simple act, but characteristic qi the man, his rapidity of thought, and | jiig' deep love of the little ones. But| it tt 'as not only for putting flowers on the children that he bad lived; ' lie spi ""d on t' lc paths of the livi nK w 'here noiie would otherwise have beenf He" wa3 ' OVC( I by the poor, and Viicii ho div'"' "'ere was a great gap left. - , the'' thousands who had passed '* ■ I of hi' B coffined remains in his East tnd mission was at least one poor little chap who s l' rat 1 ? 1 ? m a posy of floWs wh.ch he bad bought "for the do«t"r." Yos, the children loved " the doctor," and he loved them with all his heart, dying for them in the end. Passing on to his owrf present miswon, the Rev. Mayers said -the object of it ivas the place Wfore the ooloiuals the piojfct of erecting a monumono to tue memory of Dr. Barnardo, which .would take the shape of a hospital w ra/\ Village Home, an addition ;»'hit;h it : lad been the wish of Dr. Barnardo to jnake during his lifetime. The cost would be .£23,000, and it would contain 100 beds which worked out at £230 per bed. Several towns had subscribed sufficient for a hed, 80226 two beds, and be hoped New I'lymouU would be able to do that: if not, lie was sure there would be a 'iaranaki I>ed. It would be a source of great delight to him personally to be able *» walk around the walls ami note the names of the towns which had undertaken to provide one bed. Ulnstra- ' tiOM were sbown of the effect life in the Homra upon the greatly ' liandicapped and hardly prepossessing children who had been rescued, and a strong point was made of the fact that these poor little nritea were littea out of surroundings of criminality, squalor, and immorality to a higheranJ better life. The speaker made an appeal for help for these children, remarking that it was far cheaper to pay • ii»' child than for tlie Old - J'onntrv ,0 have to l>ear in days to XUoine the cost of their maintenance m ■ the . workhouse or the prison I>ew| Kealand, and Sew Plymouth, had largely • helped the work, and he was appreciate e ' of that help; but he asked a special '• .--jIBSft this time, and suggested the «- 'if: pediency of taking up at least one eo S > lection a vear amongst the Sunday ' School children for the reselling and !*. : proyiaing for those children in threat /' cities of England who were not »« lul l %'■ pilvi,' circumstanced. % TBe hand-bells troupe then pWJ'ed ?■' f. vqnisitely Dr. Staincr's ant«« ; m ** | , datt flieae Which are arrayed 111 it _ f > meeting closed witn the "* l,a cxertfces.